One More Chance
by CurioDejan
Summary: "We're not actually... together-together." After so many years of being there for one another, both Ren and Nora have become comfortable with their friendship. But with pressure coming from their teammates and friends, and the Vytal Festival Tournament just around the corner, could they really take that one step further, or would they only end up losing something dear to them?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One - Outside, looking in**

* * *

Taking a shallow breath, he landed lightly, skidding across the ground on one foot before sliding the other leg round to decelerate.

Releasing the breath, he swung his pistols up, firing controlled bursts at his approaching opponent, forcing him to charge blindly behind his raised shield.

Still breathing out, he narrowed his eyes, focussing on the flow of energies around him. Pulsing in time with his heartbeat, his Aura felt depleted, but not dangerously so. But compared to his opponent's, it was like holding a candle to a roaring fire.

 _It'll be enough._

With another quick breath, he swung his body round, his weapons held close, redirecting his remaining momentum into a vertical slash. The green blade connecting with a dull crack, his lips twitched upwards as the faint flare of white around his opponent's shield betrayed its wielder's intentions.

As much improvement his opponent had been showing, his movements were still painfully simple to anticipate, even without reading his Aura flow.

Instead of taking the shield bash directly, which would have left him stunned, he let himself be pushed back a little by the force, before dropping into a lower stance, a white clad leg snapping up to strike a now exposed midriff. His opponent's own momentum driving him into the blow, he heard the sudden whoosh of expelled air and span on the ball of his foot to disengage.

He knew he wasn't the greatest fighter. He wasn't the strongest, the toughest or the fastest. Those titles were held by others.

But what he did have was patience. Patience to wear down his opponent, little by little with controlled attacks while conserving his own limited energy, waiting for the opening that would signal the end.

That was how he fought. That was how he lived. No matter what challenge he faced, he would endure; be it slaying Grimm, his training as a Huntsman, dealing with his childhood friend's–

 _Boop!_

Flinching, he fought to clear his mind, his breathing unsteady. Glancing at his opponent, he suppressed his irritation and lifted his pistol blades to block the instinctive sword swing.

 _Too slow._

Staring into blue eyes widened in excitement and surprise, deep inside he felt something snap, his breath catching.

As the sound of metal on stone resounding in his ears, he sprang forward.

* * *

"Yes! Oh god..."

His vision whirled and Jaune hit the floor hard, his startled expression smashing into the polished tiles.

"Blugh," he groaned. _Well, that went as well as could be expect- ah that hurts that hurts that hurts!_

Just as Jaune was feeling utterly grateful for Aura shielding, a sharp weight pressed down into his shoulder, and he cried out as his shield arm was yanked upwards. Grunting, Jaune gave a brief struggle but quickly surrendered when his arm was bent back further than it had any right to.

"I give, I give!" he gasped, his free hand desperately tapping the ground. A beat later the pain lessened and the liberated arm flopped down at his side, Jaune sighing in relief.

Relishing the cool sensation of the tiles against his cheek, Jaune lay there panting for a while, feeling a weak chuckle build up within him. How many times had Pyrrha drilled disarming techniques with him, and how many times had he failed miserably attempting them before now? Sure he had been floored within two seconds of success, but it still showed his progress from when he first arrived at Beacon.

Heavily favouring his sword arm, Jaune pushed himself awkwardly to his feet, shaking his head to rid the sweat from his eyes. After carefully returning his shield to his belt in sheathe form, he cast around for the rest of Crocea Mors, which he had dropped during the unexpected acrobatics and almost missed the quiet voice behind him.

"I used to much force. I'm sorry."

"Don't worry…" His automatic response, deeply ingrained after months of living alongside Pyrrha, died at his lips when he looked around at his sparring opponent. Hands at his side, head lowered slightly, Ren's expression was partially hidden behind his long black hair, but his magenta eyes stared unblinking into Jaune's.

Faced with this intense gaze, Jaune found himself momentarily lost for words. Wondering if such a serious apology was even necessary for the level of injury, he stared back at Ren, noting that his teammate was still breathing heavily from the fight. Normally he would take some self-deprecating pride in forcing his opponent to exert themselves, but Ren's reaction was making him uneasy.

"Huh? Its fine man," he rushed, realising he had been silent a little too long. "I can keep going; Aura's still in the yellow. See?" He flexed the offending limb. "All better," he grinned, gritting his teeth against the twinge of the overextended muscles.

"Even still." Ren spoke slowly, stepping closer to examine him. "It may be wiser to end now, to avoid worsening the injury."

"Couldn't I just wait for my Aura to heal me?" Jaune's question was met with a blank look. "But if you say so... sure, we'll call it a night."

Yielding to his friend's advice, Jaune allowed Ren to move his arm in a few experimental motions, while he scuffed his sneakers on the black tiles of the sparring ring, trying to fill the silence. "But really, your hand-to-hand is awesome."

"Aura is most effective against direct blows," Ren replied after a pause, "while locks and grapples can bypass it completely." Seemingly satisfied that he hadn't caused serious damage, he nodded once, before turning away to collect his fallen Stormflower.

"Huh, thanks. Maybe I'll try to learn a few myself. I could ask Pyrrha… "

Exhaling slowly, Jaune did his best to calm his breathing, bringing himself down gradually from the adrenaline high, and let his eyes wander around empty spectator stands before lingering on his friend. Although he showed no obvious signs of fatigue, padding across the sparring ring, Ren easily possessed the lowest stamina of team JNPR and Jaune thought he detected a hint of tension in the teen's normally composed movements.

Now that he thought about it, Jaune could barely remember the last time Ren had even needed to apologise for a mistake, what with the care he put into all of his actions. Making a quick mental check, Jaune reviewed the last match, trying to judge what had been different.

They had been sparring for little under an hour, breaking every time one of them, or more accurately Jaune was soundly beaten into the dirt. But in that last match, he had noticed that Ren seemed to have been getting tired, his movements flagging, which Jaune was able to exploit, succeeding in disarming him.

Of course Ren had then immediately closed the distance, grabbing him by the scruff of his hoodie, flipping him over backwards all with that scary look on his–

 _Oh…_

"Hey, Ren?" he ventured, feeling a stab of guilt over his denseness. "Are you ok? It's just you've been a bit… off tonight. I think. You're still really quiet so it can be hard to tell."

Kneeling down to pick up his pistol, Ren gave Jaune's flustered ramblings a sidelong look, but his expression was its typical stoic neutral.

"If it's about the village," Jaune soldiered on, "we'll go after the tournament's over, I promise. But, well, I'm not trying to pry or anything, but darn it, I'm your team leader, so it's my duty to look out for my teammates!" Jaune rubbed the back of his head. "Hehe, I almost sounded like Ruby there for a minute…"

"Thank you for your concern, Jaune." Ren's voice remained calm as he stowed Stormflower in his coat sleeves. "But I am well, if unrested."

"Ah, ok." Jaune conceded reluctantly, though Ren admittedly did appear all little haggard. "I guess that's Nora for you, eh?"

The mention of their excitable teammate drew the first true reaction out of Ren, if only just a roll of the eyes, and Jaune smiled hopefully. But without another word, Ren methodically brushed down his coat and started off towards the changing rooms.

Feeling his smile fade away, Jaune followed his friend out of the sparring hall, only to return a few moments later to pick up his sword before jogging back out again.

* * *

"Hey guys, we're back." The now unarmoured Jaune called wearily as he stumbled through the open door to his team's dorm room, Ren close behind him. Making a beeline for his pillow, he all but face planted it, startling Pyrrha from her seat on the edge of the bed.

"Jaune!" she said, dropping her scroll in surprise as she jumped to her feet. "You're back early? Did something happen?"

"Not much, Ren was just trying to rip my arm off," Jaune drawled, grinning up at Pyrrha, "But its fine now, Aura healed it up," he hastily lied, hoping to placate her look of alarm. "Doesn't even hurt anymore."

After getting a nod of confirmation from Ren, Pyrrha relaxed a little, picking up her scroll again and retreating to sit on the bedside cabinet.

"Well, as long as you didn't overdo it… how was the practise?"

"You mean before my teeth were introduced so spectacularly to the floor?" Jaune chuckled dryly. "It went well, I guess; gave Ren a run for his money. Actually managed to disarm him at the end," he added, feeling a rush of warmth at Pyrrha's proud smile. His good humour didn't last long though, his attempt to sit up turning into rolling onto his side when his shoulder gave a sharp complaint.

"Are you sure you don't want to go the infirmary?" Pyrrha asked, having caught Jaune's poorly hidden wince, her worried look returning as she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "It would be unfortunate to be incapacitated so close to the tournament."

"Pyrrha, I'm fine, I probably just pulled something; should be healed by tomorrow. The wonders of Aura, right Ren?" he said, raising his voice a little to draw his attention, Ren humming in response while rummaging under his bed, before he turned to them, toothbrush in hand.

"Nora?" he inquired, looking at Pyrrha.

"She should be in the bathroom. She said she wanted to try on few things."

Nodding in thanks, Ren disappeared into the walk-in wardrobe behind him, leaving them in silence.

"Jaune? What is it?" Pyrrha asked gently as Jaune blinked, realising his expression must have betrayed his thoughts.

"I'm not sure, but do you think Ren…" he began, glancing back at Pyrrha, only to find his partner's face much closer than it was previously, her vivid green eyes shining with concern. It was only now that he noticed that she wasn't sporting her usual ponytail, strands of her long red hair swaying between them.

Feeling his cheeks heating up, he shifted his eyes away from his partner's face, only to focus on her hand on his shoulder, the sensation of which he suddenly became _very_ conscious of. And of the fact that they were now, by the technicality of a half closed door, alone together.

 _Calm down Jaune. You can still talk to her, she's your teammate. You've lived in the same room for months for crying out loud. Acting like this just because of what she said at the dance…_

Marshalling his resolve, he took a deep breath and forced himself to look at Pyrrha again. Whatever courage he had vanished, however, as he breathed in the flowery scent of her hair, fresh from the shower, leaving his mind a muddled mess.

"Jaune?" Pyrrha asked uncertainly.

 _Jaune? Respond! Jaune? Jaune?! Jaaauuuune!_

"Tadaaaa!"

Both of them flinching back at the sudden noise, Pyrrha sat up straight again, taking a second to collect herself, before redirecting her noticeably more strained smile behind Jaune.

"Hello again, Nora."

Already missing the comforting warmth of Pyrrha's hand, Jaune slowly turned his head with a mix of relief, disappointment and dread, to the walking avatar of disorder that was the source of the disturbance.

 _At least she dresses the part_ , he noted, one eye beginning to twitch as he did his best to make sense of the young woman's outfit. Having crashed into the room in a manner most aptly described as like a thunderbolt, Nora stood before them, bedecked in a bizarre mismatch of both Pyrrha's and her own armour.

After a moment's confusion, during which she seemed to register Jaune's presence, Nora did her best to look sheepish, balanced precariously on one foot and waving Pyrrha's spear in one hand as she was, before righting herself.

"Ahem," Nora gave a small, deliberate cough and readjusted the bronze circlet held haphazardly around her ears, her grin undiminished. "Behold, loyal subjects! Your queen has arrived." In time with her words, Nora struck an imperious pose, acting for all of Remnant like a warrior queen of old, though the image was let down by her short stature and ill-fitting armour.

Unsure if he was supposed to laugh or genuflect before her, he spared a glance to Pyrrha, who looked equally bemused.

"You look… wonderful, Nora," she said eventually, her voice bubbling with amusement behind one hand.

Nora giggling happily, Jaune shook his head in resigned despair as Ren wandered back into the room.

"Ren, Ren! What do you think?"she asked, skipping over to her childhood friend and giving an exaggerated twirl, her smile even wider.

Ren paused, looking Nora up and down a few times before giving her a tired smile and walking past. Jaune didn't miss the slightly troubled expression on Nora's face before it shifted to a pout as she watched him through the door, shifting again to an expectant look as she turned to Pyrrha.

"Come on Pyrrha, your scroll, your scroll! Get a photo!"

"Yes? Oh yes, sorry."

With a long sigh, Jaune left his teammates to their impromptu photo shoot, flopping back down on the bed, somehow feeling even more exhausted than when he came in.

"Ah, Nora? Aren't those Weiss' platforms?"

"Hehe, oopsies…"

"I think it's time for bed…" he grumbled to the ceiling, which wisely opted not to reply.

Team JNPR's evening routine was, as always, a lively affair, mainly thanks to Nora. Somehow avoiding a shrill lecture from Weiss during her 'Operation Ragnarok' to return the heiress' boots, the hyperactive woman bounded cheerfully back into the room dragging Ren behind her. Judging from his harried expression, he had been ambushed somewhere on his return from the bathroom.

"So then I thought we could maybe modify Magnhild to fire cluster Dust mines." Nora was gushing. "So if anything gets too close they'd go kabloom!"

Nora's animated arm waving was met with wary eyes, each of them picturing the chaos she would wreck with such a weapon.

"No."

"Perhaps not, Nora."

"Maybe." Jaune said cautiously. "But not on people, just Grimm."

"Aww…but it would be so much fun."

Having changed into his blue onesie and too tired to even touch Oobleck's most recent essay, Jaune sat down with a sigh, soon to be joined by Pyrrha, who sat on her bed next to his.

"Jaune?" she began, picking up her hairbrush, "What was it you were saying earlier?"

"Well…"

Mindful of Ren overhearing, Jaune glanced across the room, but he was still being trailed by Nora, who was detailing the strategic benefits of laying Dust mines in the cafeteria during lunch, so he continued in a lower voice.

"Do you think Ren's been a bit out of it recently?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, yeah he's always been a bit– scratch that _very_ quiet, but ever since the breach it's been as if he's not even here."

"Well, it's only been two days and we were all exhausted after the incursion. It was a tough fight; if it wasn't for the number of teams who responded and the Atlas ships, the number of casualties…" Pyrrha trailed off, shivering. "Anyways, I can understand if he's still tired. At least the Headmaster gave all of us a few days leave from classes to recuperate before the tournament."

"Didn't stop Oobleck setting a ten pager. And he was fighting along with us! Really, that man needs to switch to decaf..."

During the debriefing, Ozpin had received weary cheers from the four student teams present when he announced the short holiday, with classes optional. His suggestion that they make use of the time to hone their teamwork, on the other hand, had been met with more varying levels of enthusiasm, especially from team RWBY, all of whom had looked ready to pass out then and there. And for some reason, Ozpin had looked rather pointedly at team JNPR after he said that, muttering something about team attack names from behind his coffee mug while shaking his head.

"I know it could be nothing, but he just looked so…" he paused searching for the best word, "…frustrated earlier; angry almost. And if it's about the village then I'm thinking maybe I should talk to him about it."

Pyrrha fell into silence at his words, brushing her hair while deep in thought and Jaune found himself following her movements, wondering why he had never noticed how alluringly red…

 _Jaune, you useless idiot, focus!_

"Jaune, I'm happy that as our leader you want to help us out, but sometimes people can simply have rough days. It may be best to give Ren a chance to rest and de-stress, without bothering him with questions."

"Maybe you're right…"

Both of them stealing a glance over at their other teammates, Jaune saw Ren seated away from them at his desk, surrounded by textbooks, getting in some last minute studying before bed. Nora, on the other hand was sitting on her own suspiciously clear desk beside Ren's, swinging her legs as she chattered merrily on.

Seeing the two of them sitting together, Nora tilted her head curiously, grinning back at them, before coming to some sort of conclusion. Snapping off a quick salute, she placed a finger on her lips, the smile behind turning sinister as she jumped to her feet and crept behind her unsuspecting target. Then, uttering an odd birdlike cry, she pounced on her prey, wrapping her arms around his neck while laughing maniacally.

"Sloth Special Attack: Stealth Glomp!"

"Wait, wh– Nora stop!"

Watching the scene unfold before him with an odd fascination, Jaune flinched as Ren, Nora and the chair fell backwards in a confusing jumble of limbs that inexplicably ended up with Nora perched quite happily on Ren's chest. With Ren lying stunned below her, Nora grinned over to them again, one hand making the 'V' sign.

"Yes, not at all stressful." Jaune deadpanned.

"I think she may have got the wrong message," Pyrrha muttered, caught between laughter and concern. "Are you alright Ren?" she inquired instead, as Jaune heaved himself up off is bed to help his beleaguered teammate, getting a small thumbs up in response.

While it had taken a promise from Ren of morning pancakes to make up for his recent negligence, Nora was eventually persuaded to stop jumping on her bed and actually get into it, the rest of them quickly following suit.

"Night guys," Jaune yawned, checking his scroll alarm before leaning over to get the lights.

"G'night team JNPR!"

"Goodnight everyone."

"Goodnight."

"Gooooodnight!"

"Nora. Please."

"Goodnight, goodnight, goodnight-"

"Nora!"

"Sorry Jaune! Goodnight."

The room finally quiet, Jaune relaxed, listening to the gentle rustle of sheets as his teammates fell asleep, and the last content whisper from across to his right.

"Goodnight Ren…"

* * *

"…please…"

It was still dark when Jaune awoke, much to his annoyance, with only a sliver of moonlight shining in through a gap in the curtains. Rolling over with a sigh, Jaune covered his head with his blanket and closed his eyes again, hoping to continue the X-ray and Vav dream he had been enjoying, when he heard a low unintelligible murmur from the other side of the room.

 _Nora…_ Coming to the conclusion, he quietened a yawn. A sleep talking Nora was nothing new, the young woman seemingly as active asleep as she was awake. But thankfully, he could leave it to the expert.

"All yours Ren," he muttered, nestling deeper into his pillow, feeling his senses slip away.

"Jaune?"

"…hmmm?"

"Are you awake?"

"Uhmmm…"

Making a vague noise of affirmation, Jaune lifted his blanket just enough to peer out in the general direction of the whisper.

Due to the low light, it took him a moment to work out that the muddled shape on the bed nearest him was in fact his partner. Wrapped in her blanket, Pyrrha was sitting against the wall behind her, the pale moonlight reflecting from her eyes as she looked across at him.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't sure if I should wake you."

"It's ok," he whispered back, sensing her agitation. "What is it?"

"Nora's worrying me."

"Ren's got it."

"He isn't here."

"…don't…cry…"

Pausing in their quiet conversation, both of them looked over at Nora's bed, their teammate moaning and turning in her sleep. By the limited light of the moon, Jaune confirmed that Ren was neither in his own bed nor at Nora's side.

"Maybe he's in the bathroom?"

"It's been over an hour."

The prospect of sleep drifting further and further away, Jaune reached out a hand, fumbling around for his scroll. Setting his eyes against the blinding glare, he squinted at the screen.

 _04.20? Really Ren? A bit late for a midnight stroll..._

Worry dampening his irritation, Jaune set his scroll back, facedown to cover the hateful light, and took a steadying breath.

"So… should we wake her? Then what?"

"Ren usually talks to her. We could try that."

"Well, what do we say?"

"I'm not-"

"No…no! Ren? Ren?"

Nora's mutterings were growing louder and she was tossing around more violently, but just as Jaune made up his mind to go wake her up, the door knob began to turn.

Acting on instinct, Jaune hid back under the covers, leaving just his head free. Hearing Pyrrha follow suit, Jaune watched as the door was pushed open to reveal the dark hallway beyond, a tall figure slipping inside before closing the door quietly behind them.

Judging that it was Ren from the silhouette and careful footsteps, Jaune opened his mouth to call out to his teammate, but hesitated as he stepped more into view.

If Ren had looked tired earlier, he looked on the verge of collapse standing there alone, the deep shadows under his eyes highlighted by the moonlight. His shoulders hunched, he took delicate steps towards Nora, stopping just beside her bed.

"Ren…sorry…"

From his position, Jaune couldn't see Ren's expression at Nora's quiet moans, but as he watched the young man kneel down beside Nora, Jaune frowned at the faint sparkle on her cheeks.

"Ren? Don't go. Please don't go. I'm sorry Ren. I'm sorry..."

 _Should we be hearing this?_ Listening to her, Nora didn't sound like the fearless, borderline crazy Huntress-in-training they knew. Instead she sounded so much younger; like a scared little girl crying for her friend.

In response, Ren extended a gentle hand towards Nora, hovering above her face as if to wipe away the tears. But just as he was about to reach her, he stopped, his whole body tensing. Retreating his hand, Ren's shoulders slumped, his head lowering as instead he began to speak softly to her, his voice cracking a little.

"Nora? Wake up, Nora, you're dreaming. _Nora_."

"No!" With a final breathy gasp, Nora's eyes shot open, her fists raised in front of her to defend against whatever horrors she had been witness to. For several seconds she seemed confused, unsure of where she was, before recognising the young man beside her. "Ren? Is that you? We were…you were…"

"I know, Nora. I'm here. I'm here."

For some time, the only sound in the room were Nora's short, quiet gasps, broken only by Ren's gentle reassurances, until her breathing finally settled.

"Again, huh?" Nora whispered with forced lightness, but Ren did not answer. One hand moved rigidly, uncertainly to Ren's shoulder, where it entwined itself in the pink lock of Ren's hair. "No, I'm ok," she grinned stiltedly, responding to Ren's silence, twirling her fingers further into his hair, before gripping onto his shirt, her head dipping. "Do you think they heard?"

Ren looked over his shoulder, his magenta eyes roaming over the other two beds and Jaune froze as the young man seemed to stare directly at him. Feeling a bead of sweat crawl its way down the side of his face from his forehead, Jaune remained still, until at last Ren blinked and looked away.

"No." Ren said simply, turning back to Nora.

Silently releasing a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, Jaune carefully glanced back over his shoulder to look at Pyrrha, who slowly shook her head from under her own covers, her eyes damp.

"Hey Ren? I...do you..." Behind him, Nora's voice was barely audible now. "Do you think I could get extra syrup on my pancakes?"

"Of course, Nora."

Eyes drawn back to the pair by Nora's muted giggle, Jaune felt a lump in his throat as he saw Nora's other hand raise, delicately brushing aside Ren's fringe before placing a finger on his nose.

"Boop." She sighed, her tired smile more natural now. Leaning forward, Nora placed her cheek against her childhood friend's shoulder and closed her eyes. After a few heartbeats, Ren lowered his head to rest on top of hers, the pair shifting their weight to better support each other.

Hearing a low noise, Jaune struggled to place it until he realised it was coming from Nora. It was an unfamiliar tune, the melody bright and cheerful, but with Nora's slow humming it sounded sad, melancholy.

Eventually forcing himself to look away, Jaune shut his eyes, doing his best to ignore Nora's quiet humming and Ren's occasional gentle words, until at last sleep took him once more.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Disclaimer:** RWBY belongs to the wonderful people over at Roosterteeth.

Greetings, CurioDejan here. One night, while lurking on /r/RWBY, I came across a post about the lack of slow burning Renora stories. So as a proud Renora shipper, I wondered if I could help with that. Well, one idea lead to another, Arkos sneaking themselves in during the writing process, and lo and behold this story is the result.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and feel free to leave comments in the review section.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 – Clear Light, Heart's Shadow**

* * *

"So I'm standing on the King Taijitu's head, completely surrounded by Beowolves, and I mean there was an entire pack in there with me…"

Pyrrha hid a yawn behind her hand as she followed Yang's tale, while beside her a spellbound Jaune listened on. On the other side of the table, the rest of team RWBY wore the resigned expressions of those who have heard the same story many times.

"But then the _other_ head popped in door, so I'm finding myself in a bit of an awkward position."

"Only because you rushed on in ahead of us," Weiss commented dryly from the other end of the table as she examined her perfectly filed nails.

"Hey, you can't argue with the international dibs protocol," Yang grinned back, adding a spoonful of sugar to her porridge, before taking a bite. "Ugh… too much."

It being several hours after breakfast, they had the dining hall to themselves, their voices echoing over the empty tables. Thanks to the late morning sun shining in through the high windows, the hall had a warm, peaceful air.

 _It makes a change from last night._

"So how did you beat them?"Jaune ventured, as Pyrrha nursed her tea, feeling refreshed in the clear light of day.

"It was a hard won fight," Yang said in a weary voice, putting her spoon down, her face suddenly serious. "I had to resort to some desperate measures."

Intrigued despite herself by Yang's abrupt change in attitude, Pyrrha joined Jaune as he leant forward to hear better, Yang glancing to both sides before opening her mouth again.

"The Grimm brought the building down around her," Blake cut in, picking at her tuna salad with one hand, a book in the other.

"Aww, Blake you ruined the suspense!" Yang complained, fists crashing onto the table and rattling the plates, which earned her an amused look from the Faunus and an irritated one from Weiss.

"That's it? No crazy plans or gimmicks?"

"Sorry to disappoint, vomit-boy." Yang gave an exaggerated shrug. "But the building had already been gutted by that point; properly structurally unsound. It wouldn't have survived another five minutes anyways."

"And who, may I ask, could be blamed for its condition at that point?" Weiss asked sharply.

"Coco's mini-gun, was it Yang?" Ruby joined in beside Weiss.

"You guys can prove nothing. Anyways, yeah," Yang hastily carried on, ignoring her sister's accusing stare, "one minute I'm dodging a giant snake bite, next thing I know the entire roof's caving in. Had to hightail it quickly after that I can tell you; I did _not_ want to be stuck under a huge pile of bricks with angry Grimm. But the upside? I managed to grab a few doughnuts on the way out. Final score, Yang: one, Grimm: zero." Yang gave a fist-pump, her smile wide.

"And bakery: zero?" Blake quipped.

"That too." Yang forced a laugh, not missing a beat. "What were we talking about again? Oh yeah, where's Nora? I need to confirm her kill count from the breach."

"Nora's…" Her mood dampening, Pyrrha shared a glance with Jaune, who looked equally uneasy, "…still cooking with Ren, I believe."

 _I hope he got at least some sleep in the end._

"Oh ho?" Yang grinned, deliberately misinterpreting their look. "And what may I ask are two 'not together-together' but oh so hormonal teenagers doing alone together?"

"Yang!" Ruby shot warningly.

"Calm down, Rubes, I'm only teasing. We all know Ren's far too boring to try anything," Yang laughed, attempting to placate her sister. "And with that, there's the happy couple now," she grinned, nodding to the entrance. Following the direction of her wave, Pyrrha saw Nora half marching, half skipping over to them, Ren walking in a more sedate manner beside her.

"Well, well. A late good morning to you two!" Yang called, giving a raunchy whistle.

"Morning!" Nora sang back, unruffled by Yang's catcalling, Ren raising a hand in greeting.

Taking the opportunity, Pyrrha scrutinized her teammates as they approached, but neither of them showed signs of fatigue. Well, Ren still looked a bit tired, but no more than usual and he had never seemed a morning person.

As for Nora, when Ren sat down beside Jaune she initially made to do the same, only to change direction at the last second, heading instead to the service windows.

"More?" Jaune asked Ren. "She's already had, what, two dozen pancakes?"

"Three!" Nora corrected cheerfully, shouting across the hall as she helped herself to the leftover food.

"Well, Nora's full of energy as always," Yang yawned, toying with Ember Celica on her wrists. "Not sure if I could say the same. Thank god we can skip this morning too."

"No Port!" Ruby agreed with a cheer, reaching over to high-five her sister.

"Really, you two." Weiss said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Professor Ozpin gave us the break in order to focus on our teamwork, not as an excuse to skip classes entirely."

"Hey, me and Blake's teamwork is pretty good. You could even say its purrfect...eh, eh?"

"You're saying that, but even you don't want to sit through another one of his cabbage stories," Ruby grumbled, resting her head on the table as everyone ignored Yang's pun.

"And don't get me started on your studying habits, Ruby," Weiss began.

"Or what, you'll get a boot to the face again?" Yang interrupted with a smirk, before looking across the table. "By the way, I'm assuming that last night's hit-and-run was one of you guys?"

"Nora," Jaune and Pyrrha replied simultaneously, Ren giving a quiet sigh as Weiss made a disgruntled noise.

"Wha..bout..?"

"I beg your pardon?" Weiss asked carefully, looking up at the individual in question. One hand carrying a stack of waffles, the other a steaming mug, and with an assortment of fruit balanced on her head, Nora was manoeuvring herself around the table as she looked curiously at them, the source of the confusion the three or so whole waffles occupying her mouth.

Rounding the table, the young woman jumped into the seat next to Ren, setting down her plate and fruit before handing the mug to the tired teen, which he immediately transferred to his upturned palm. Only then noticing the impatient drum of Weiss' fingers on the table, Nora forced down the blockage with a loud gulp.

"Ah… better," Nora giggled, before quirking her head. "So you guys were talking about me?"

"I was just complimenting you on your boot throwing, and also your timing," Yang snorted, as Weiss looked appalled at Nora's lack of table manners. "The Ice Queen here had worked up a full head of steam by the time you got her. Seriously, I think you caused a system backup; looked like a vein was ready to pop."

"Quiet you." Weiss sent a cold glare towards Yang, "I was simply reminding my _teammates_ that Beacon offers alternatives to simply beating each another up all day. I _certainly_ wasn't expecting my boots to be suddenly thrown at me." She turned to Nora. "And about that, while I assume I should be grateful you actually returned my shoes, in future I hope you ask permission before you borrow my property for…"

"Oh boy, here we go…" Ruby muttered into her half nibbled cookie, as Weiss descended into what they had collectively termed 'lecture mode', the rest of table doing their best to tune it out. For her part Nora appeared to pay attention, though her intense fidgeting suggested she would not remain that way for long.

 _Well Nora's back to her usual self, even after last night's events,_ Pyrrha thought. _Or maybe because of them…_

True to form, Nora's turquoise eyes very quickly began to wander, flitting over the table until they rested on Pyrrha.

"Sorry Weiss, won't do it again! Morning Pyrrha!" she shouted in the same breath, leaning back to smile at Pyrrha past Jaune and Ren. "You weren't about earlier."

"G-good morning, Nora," Pyrrha returned the greeting apprehensively, not quite able to meet her eyes. "And no, I went for my morning run a little earlier today."

Unable to return to sleep after witnessing such a pitiful scene, Pyrrha had snuck out of their dorm room at around six, hoping to clear her head. By the time she got back, Ren and Nora's beds were both empty, the sounds of cooking audible from their floor's communal kitchen.

"Oh, such dedication," Nora replied, stroking her chin sagely. "As expected from the champ herself!" With Nora giving Pyrrha an enthusiastic thumbs up, opposite her Weiss was left speechless after being so bluntly brushed off mid-lecture.

"And she's gone," Yang noted as Ruby slowly edged away from Weiss. "Thanks once again, Nora. Maybe she'll shut down for a while again, last night was so peaceful," she sighed, clasping her hands together in pretend bliss as Nora giggled.

"So yeah, how did everyone sleep?" Jaune interjected, receiving a chorus of 'fine's and 'well enough's, through which Pyrrha did her best to watch her other teammates' reactions, but Ren was just sipping his tea without answering, while Nora was inhaling waffles at a remarkable rate. Only pausing for air upon hearing Jaune's question, Nora seemed to fall into deep thought, before her eyes lit up excitedly.

"Oh, oh!" she exclaimed. "I had the craziest dream last night. Well, not the craziest I've _ever_ had, but still a really good one. Me and Ren were riding a Boarbatusk down a river–"

"It was an Ursa."

"Oh yeah, and we were singing a song about bees and ants and…"

It almost felt like they had slipped back into their normal morning routine, Nora began recounting her bizarre dream, with Ren occasionally chipping in to offer comments and corrections. But as she listened to Nora, Pyrrha couldn't help but be drawn back to the image of her clinging to Ren, the two of them illuminated in the moonlight.

 _I want to help them. But the tournament is only days away, couldn't we end up stressing them out even more?_

 _We have to try Pyrrha, we're their teammates after all._

Her eyes flicking to Jaune again, she recalled their earlier hushed conversation in their empty dorm room. Jaune had been bleary eyed when he had first woken up, but the look on his face as they discussed what they had witnessed had gradually grown determined.

 _I'll try talking to Ren,_ Jaune had promised, giving a confident smile. _You keep an eye on Nora._

 _But should we be prying into their lives?_ Pyrrha had privately wondered as she agreed to Jaune's plan, recalling the time she had carelessly offered to help train her partner, without knowing the full truth of his acceptance into Beacon. The issue had been resolved for the better with Jaune's eventual apology, but the weeks of silence between them had been an agonising experience for Pyrrha. As if sensing her thoughts, Jaune met her gaze for several seconds, before giving a tiny shrug.

"So, you guys still up to Goodwitch's bonus class this afternoon?" Yang asked, breaking Pyrrha's line of thought as everyone around her responded with nods. "After all, it's the last chance to kick your butts officially before the tournament," she added, stretching her arms lazily.

"Oh. Ho. Ho. Ho," Nora grinned dangerously, breaking off from describing a herd of singing Goliaths marching in single file. Jumping to her feet, she rested a hand on the table, the other on her hip. "Yang Xiao Long, was that a _challenge_? Such foolish foolishness!"

"Dream on, Lightning-bulb. You've no chance against these guns," Yang shot back, rising to tower over the redhead. For a moment the two glared fiercely at one another, before breaking off into laughter.

"Well no matter what you throw at us," Nora said, plopping down back onto her seat, "Team Sloth is gonna take you down. Right Ren? Ren?"

Blinking, Pyrrha turned her head to look at Nora, and then at Ren, only to see his seat vacated, the quiet young man already halfway across the hall. No doubt noticing the lull in conversation, he stopped and looked back at them.

"Auric Theory; third period," he replied to their questioning looks.

"Blugh… snore-fest…" Yang muttered, receiving emphatic nodding from Nora as Ren turned back to the exit.

"Hey Ren, hold up," Jaune called, winking clumsily at Pyrrha before clambering out of his seat. "I'll come too. I could always do with learning more about Aura, right?"

"I never thought I'd see the day when Jaune Arc wanted to go to class more than my own team," Weiss muttered darkly, turning away from the departing boys, Jaune following after Ren.

"You're just upset 'cause he didn't try asking you out again," Yang said cheekily, sticking her tongue out. "Must be getting lonely in the Schnee camp without your adoring admirer."

"Oh, ha ha. Very funny Yang," Weiss bristled, crossing her arms with a huff. "But perhaps the dunce has finally taken the hint."

"Ah, as _Weiss_ -cold as ever..." Yang shook her head sadly. "And speaking of taking hints, my dear P-money." The blonde rounded on Pyrrha, her wide smile offering no escape. "Couldn't help but notice the looks you and dress-boy were giving each other. Must say, ever since the dance you guys sure have been acting pretty chummy, if you catch my meaning," she said, her eyebrows waggling. "You wanna fill your good friend Yang in on the details?"

"No, no, nothing–"

"Wait what?" Nora gasped, head turning so rapidly between Yang and Pyrrha it was a wonder she didn't get dizzy. "Have there been things developing? Happening? Well there was definitely something happening at the dance, but did you not even tell _me_?"

Faced with Yang's leering grin and Nora's widening eyes, Pyrrha could only bury her face in her hands to hide her blushing cheeks.

"We just talked for a bit... and then we danced. That's all," she murmured lamely from behind her hands. _Why Yang, why?_

"Oh, how romantic," Yang said airily, Pyrrha squirming under the blonde's gaze. "Either way, must be lively in your room these days, what with the SS. Awkward setting sail. What about you Nora? How's things going with Sir Stoic? You guys hooked up yet?"

"Yang, don't be weird," Ruby cut in, taking a sip of milk, but just as Yang opened her mouth to respond, both of them jumped at the sudden crash noise opposite them. Peeking through her hands, Pyrrha saw Nora leaning on the table beside her, head lowered.

"Nearly forgot." Hands grasping the table, Nora looked up sharply, staring straight into Ruby's eyes. "How do you stand on cluster dust mines?" she demanded, Ruby's excited response causing her to choke on her milk. Leaning her cheek against her hand, Pyrrha watched Yang thump her sister on the back as Weiss berated her for her carelessness, Blake hiding a smirk under her book, while Nora giggled happily beside her.

 _Normality..._

* * *

Auric Theory appealed to Ren for two reasons.

The first was that, due to the esoteric nature of the topics discussed, it attracted only those with an actual interest in the subject. As a result, when compared with Beacon's other optional classes, it had a relative low turnout.

The second reason was the professor who took the class.

When Ren arrived at the door of the lecture hall, it was still five minutes until the class started, but the white haired man was already seated behind his desk. Coffee mug in hand, cane leant up against the table beside him, Beacon's Headmaster gave off an odd sense of detachment from the world as he concentrated on his Scroll.

Giving the professor a polite nod nonetheless, Ren strode quietly across to the rows of seats opposite the door. Glancing around for a suitable seat, he counted the students already present. Made up of individuals or pairs rather than entire teams, there were a total of seven students, most of which Ren by now knew by sight if not name.

He did, however, note one unexpected face, sitting in the row furthest back from the board. Light green hair, brown skin, he recognised her as one of the Haven students that had fought alongside his team during the breach.

 _Emerald, she said her name was._

Briefly considering raising his hand in acknowledgment, Ren decided against it when he saw the girl's bored expression, staring absentmindedly off into space. Opting to leave her to her thoughts, he instead made his way up the steps to an empty row and found himself suppressing a sigh at the nervous scrape of shoes behind him.

Whilst he could appreciate the concern his teammates obviously felt for Nora and himself, Ren only wished they would show it in a more subtle manner. He could understand his leader's rushed excuse of wanting to learn more about Aura, but he had not missed the looks Jaune and Pyrrha had been sharing in the dining hall earlier.

 _I will need to address this, before they begin jumping to conclusions._

Still shaking his head at Jaune's less than inconspicuous efforts, Ren took his seat at the edge of the row.

"I didn't realise Ozpin taught a class himself," Jaune said over the gentle murmur of conversation around them, sliding into the seat next to Ren.

"The entire course is ungraded," Ren replied after a moment, "so it is less of a class, and more of a general discussion."

"Like Grimm Studies?" Jaune grimaced.

"No, not like Professor Port's lectures," Ren assured him with a shake of the head, receiving a relieved smile.

A silence falling between them, Ren busied himself with taking a small notebook and pen from his coat sleeves, keeping a patient eyes on the clock as it ticked its way toward the start of the period. Next to him, Jaune was shifting around, stealing glances at him as if he wanted to say something.

"Ren, are you –"

"Jaune, I know you were awake last night." Cutting straight to the issue, Ren's interruption left Jaune momentarily stunned, his mouth repeatedly opening and closing.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"I'm not blaming you for hearing," Ren admitted with a sigh. "It would have been difficult not to."

"Right, I guess so." Jaune scratched the back of his head. "So, is Nora doing ok? She seemed ok this morning but… can we help her? Pyrrha and I, I mean."

"Nora is still the same Nora you've known since initiation. If you want to help to help her, treat as you always have." _And not like a fragile doll._

"But I heard her last night remember. Whatever Nora's dream was about, it terrified her, not to mention she said 'again'. If she's been having recurring nightmares and hiding it from the rest of us, she must be having problems of some kind."

 _And that line of thinking will only worsen things._ Gritting his teeth, Ren hid his mounting frustration and focussed directly on Jaune, staring into his eyes as he spoke in a level voice.

"I don't doubt your desire to help, Jaune. But can you promise me that you won't ask Nora about last night?" While he could almost laugh at himself for how insensitive the question made him sound, Ren made sure to maintain eye contact, even as Jaune frowned back. "Please." _For her sake._

"Ok, I promise," Jaune eventually conceded, though his eyes remained narrowed. "But I'm still going to look out for her if she's feeling down. She's my friend after all."

"And I hope you always will be." Ren said quietly, lowering his head to emphasise his point. At Jaune's grudging silence, he leaning gratefully back into his seat, letting his eyes close, and felt a sudden wave of exhaustion crash into him as he did so.

"What about you, though?"

 _Me?_

Tired eyes cracking open, it took Ren several seconds to fully register Jaune's question, and when he looked back at his teammate, he was met with an expression he couldn't quite pin down. Quite unlike Jaune's typical nervousness or even anger, it was more of a quiet determination. Unsure of his meaning, Ren tilted his head, leaving Jaune to continue cautiously.

"Nora isn't the only one we're worried about, Ren. I get that you might want to be alone sometimes, but you did come back really late last night."

"I was just going for a walk. It's a habit of sorts, to help me sleep," Ren explained calmly, wondering where he was going with this, but Jaune didn't seem to believe him.

"At three in the morning?" Jaune was beginning to look exasperated. "Look, I'm not trying to sound like a broken record here, but be honest with me Ren; what's bothering you? Ever since the breach you've looked like you're about to keel over at any minute."

 _He's reading far too deeply into this. Though yes, it must look worse from his perspective._

"I have been more restless lately," Ren spoke slowly, choosing his words with care. "But that in itself isn't unusual, just ask Nora. So really, there is no need to worry about me."

"Sheesh," Jaune groaned, running a hand over his face. "You know, you can be worse than me, Ren. You don't…"

But whatever words Jaune may have continued with were lost as they heard the bell ring, followed by a soft tapping, all other conversation in the room fading to silence. Giving Jaune a last sideways glance, Ren looked forward and saw that Professor Ozpin had set down his Scroll and was walking towards them.

As the professor limped past the blackboard, Ren observed that Ozpin had left it devoid of any writing, as usual giving no indication of what the day's topic would be.

Reaching the centre of the room, Ozpin stopped for a moment, leaning against his cane, with all those present waiting in respectfully for the Headmaster to begin. Standing there in silence, regarding the students seated before him, the professor seemed much older than his appearance generally suggested. Instead of the enigmatic Headmaster they knew him as, somehow he looked more like an elderly, time-weathered man, gazing up at the newest generation with a hint of satisfaction.

"Good morning," Ozpin began, his small smile shattering the illusion, his almond eyes sparkling as they danced around the room. "Last week, we discussed the mechanisms and associated ethics of Aura transfusions for healing purposes. However, as you all know, the Vytal Festival Tournament begins next week, and so with your thoughts thus occupied, I feel it best if for today we return to something more easily digested," he said, taking a sip from his coffee mug, his eyes resting for a moment on Ren and Jaune.

"Semblances," Ozpin spoke in a clear voice, gesturing with his mug as he addressed the room, "by far one of our greatest tools as Huntsmen and Huntresses, but in many regards also the most elusive to our understanding. Widely considered to be the physical manifestation of the user's soul, they have served as a focus point for philosophical and religious debate for countless centuries. But even with the many societal and technological advances humanity has made over the years, we are still unable to fully explain the true nature and origins of Semblances."

Out of the corner of his eye, Ren noted with a degree of relief that his blond teammate was no longer focused on him; rather he was diligently following Ozpin's every word.

 _Excuse or otherwise, Semblances remain a point of valid interest to him_ , Ren reflected, recalling Jaune's varied attempts to discover his own Semblance.

"While numerous investigations have been made into the phenomenon, most modern studies are focussed on categorising or quantifying their effects; much like measuring a combatant's relative Aura levels in a sparring match." Ozpin paused, sipping his coffee. "However, to this day there has been only limited research into the cause for an individual's Semblance taking one particular form over another. And so today, we will touch one such theory; namely that of the post-war philosopher Olive Balm's Theory of Innate Generation."

 _Basic for this class perhaps, but…_

Hearing collective whispers of recognition and approval from the students around them, Ren shot Jaune a sympathetic look, whose shoulders had slumped at Ozpin's latest words, his blue eyes taking on a familiar glazed quality.

"I am not, however, here to bury you under unnecessary prattle," Ozpin raised his voice, his smile widening a little as Jaune blinked in surprise. "So instead I will be taking a more demonstrative approach," he said, walking behind his desk again and opening a drawer.

Leaning forward, Ren watched, perplexed, as Ozpin lifted out traditional train lamp, along with a small metal case. Wondering what the professor had in mind, Ren gave the lamp an appraising look. Worthless by modern standards, the cast iron device was probably powered by pure Burn or Shock Dust rather than a more stable compound. But in a way, the low-tech approach seemed to suit Ozpin more.

Opening the case's lock with a sharp snap, Ozpin then reached under the desk and flicked an unseen switch, causing the lights above them to slowly dim and the window blinds to lower. For a moment, they were left in complete darkness, unable to see Ozpin or even each other, but soon a click and a soft whoosh could be heard as the lamp ignited.

Bathed in the white glow of the lamp, Ozpin was facing them once more, his glasses shining.

 _Is this? Ah, I see…_

Realising now what was happening, Ren relaxed back into his seat, flicking his wrist to send his pen twirling through his fingers as he waited for Ozpin to continue.

"Throughout history, Semblances have been known by many other names," Ozpin said, his voice carrying through the dark, "and Balm took particular inspiration from one especially popular saying."

"Heart's Shadow…" Ren murmured aloud, before catching himself. However Ozpin didn't seem to mind the interruption, his tone remaining calm.

"Indeed so. Drawing on more spiritual beliefs, Balm's idea was to compare a person's Auric energies to a pure white light travelling outwards from their soul, or core, as she described it, out through their unconscious and conscious minds until finally reaching the outside world," Ozpin gestured to a nearby wall, on which a clear circle of light was illuminated.

"On its own, this energy would have no observable effect on its surroundings." Still speaking, the shadow Ozpin's hand could be seen projected behind him as he made some adjustment to the lamp. "Like clear glass, if the consciousness was completely unblemished, the light would pass though undistorted," he said, before sliding a lens over the lamp's window.

"However," he stepped out of the light, which was now tinted emerald, "a person is defined by their life experiences; their thoughts, their memories, their personalities and, just as glass is coloured by impurities in its composition, these aspects of their being combine to give their Aura its unique Hue. This distortion of the light is then comparable to the most basic effects of Aura."

Reaching once more into the case, Ozpin took out a series of stands, each holding oddly shaped pieces of metal, which he arrayed in front of the lamp, casting small shadows on the wall. "Now, consider the image that we are creating. If an Aura's overall colour is a result of the each of psyche's aspects distorting the light, then these characteristics can also be thought of as casting shadows, which can then be observed." Ozpin began moving the stands closer to the lamp, the shadows becoming larger and sharper.

"To put it simply, the more significant a characteristic is in defining the person, the larger and darker the shadow it would cast, be it their sense of self…" One of the shadows resolved into the shape of a human, standing proudly. "…their dearest wishes and ambitions…" a shadow took the shape of a trophy, another that of a couple embracing. "…or their greatest fears." The last shadow resolved into the familiar shape of a Beowolf.

"In an ideal case, these aspects would be more or less balanced, each one keeping the rest in check; analogous to those with very minor Semblances."

 _An ideal case…_ Ren exhaled, his bitter smile hidden in the dark.

"The human mind is rarely in such a perfect state, however." Ozpin sighed almost in response to Ren's thoughts, his tone growing melancholy. "All of us bear burdens that dominate our lives, in our choices and actions, leaving us unbalanced; imperfect, if you will," he added in an undertone, slowly moving the stand holding the Beowolf closer to the lamp, until it overshadowed the rest. "These dominating characteristics then cast such strong shadows that they manifest in more tangible forms than Aura, hence each individuals unique Semblance."

 _Ren, Ren! Look what I can do!_

Hearing an intake of breath beside him, Ren twirled his pen faster, until it seemed almost as if it would take flight from his hand.

"Controversial though the idea remains to this day, in her original theory Balm suggested a connection between those possessing more prominent Semblances with strong underlying psychological issues and traumas, and, while correlation does not imply causation, it has been observed in many cases that those with more extreme personalities…"

The pen slipped from Ren's fingers.

"…tend to exhibit more powerful abilities."

Flinching at the sudden clatter of plastic against wood, Ren kept his eyes firmly forward, fighting to keep his mind clear and to ignore the many looks he sensed were being sent his direction, especially from Jaune beside him.

"Building on this notion," Ozpin continued on as if nothing had happened, "there have been some who attempt to trace a Semblance back to a defining personality trait or root trauma…"

 _I'm sorry Ren, I didn't …_

"…mostly in the field of psychotherapy. In the end, however, the technique remains an inexact art, and the theory itself fails in many regards to explain more exotic abilities, which even considering the great variety of known Semblances appear to defy all rational sense."

Behind him, Ren heard a quiet snort of amusement, but he kept his eyes locked on the twisted shadow of the Grimm on the wall, fighting to keep his attention from drifting.

"As a final note, unreliable though it has shown to be, reports do exist of those who attempt to exploit perceived weaknesses of their opponents based on detailed observations of their Semblance."

 _Hey Ren…_

"But, and I do speak from personal experience, trying to infer a person's entire personality from their Semblance alone is an unwise and potentially high-risk strategy; not to mention quite heartless."

… _I'm not broken…right?_

"Ren?"

Startled from his thoughts by the gentle nudge to his arm, Ren blinked his way back to reality only to see Jaune looking at him, motioning to silently to the front. Shaking his head, he caught the last few rings of the bell fading away, but soon realised that no one had moved yet, even as the blinds were rolling up again. Having switched off the lamp, Ozpin was carefully packing away the equipment he had used, before turning to face them once more.

"Now before we finish, I want to stress that, as much as the ideas we have discussed today may in ways seem cruel, they by no means devaluate those whose Semblances have minor effects or indeed remain undiscovered, merely on the basis that they have not experienced enough suffering in their lives to 'deserve' or 'earn' greater power'."

Listening to him now, the Headmaster's voice once again sounded withdrawn, just at it had on their first day of Beacon, and as Ozpin limped back round to his seat, he suddenly stopped and looked back at them, the midday sun leaving half of his face in shadow.

"In that regard," he added, almost as an afterthought. "I will leave you with an observation, that I ask you all to consider: 'Everyone is entitled to their own sorrow, for the heart has no metrics or form of measure. And all of it… irreplaceable.'"

With his limbs feeling heavy, Ren remained in his seat as Ozpin turned away, while around him he heard the shuffle of feet and bags as the rest of the class headed off to lunch. "So, shall we go meet the others?" Jaune suggested, resting a hand on his shoulder. "We may as well eat something before Sparring."

"Ah, yes. Yes." Ren muttered, grabbing his unused notebook and rising to his feet before following Jaune down the steps to the door. Sparing a glance towards the front of room, Ozpin was back behind his desk, seemingly oblivious to the students moving past him as he gazed out through the window towards Beacon's high towers.

Thus distracted, Ren nearly walked straight into Jaune, stopping only at the last minute and looking up he saw that his leader had stopped at the door, looking back at Ozpin.

"Jaune?"

"I'll…" Jaune began quietly, before nodding and looking directly at Ren. "You go on ahead Ren, I'll catch up," he said, walking hesitantly towards the professor. Raising an eyebrow, Ren stared after him for a second, before shrugging to himself and stepping out of the room, shutting the door quietly after him to give Jaune some privacy.

* * *

Hearing the door close behind him, Jaune let out a sigh, feeling himself relax a little now that his teammate had left, though his brow remained furrowed.

 _You don't need to shoulder everything on your own, Ren…_

Marshalling his resolve, Jaune walked up to Ozpin's desk and stopped a suitable distance away, hoping to catch the professor's attention. When it became clear that Ozpin had not noticed him however, Jaune cleared his throat, praying his voice wouldn't falter.

"Um… s-sir? he stammered. _Damn it…_

Slowly turning around to face him, Ozpin stared blankly up at him, blinking rapidly as if coming out of a dream, before his eyes focussed on him.

"Ah, Mr Arc. How may I help you?"

Inwardly cursing his nervousness, Jaune clenched his fists and pressed on.

"Yes, sir," he swallowed. "I have a question."

* * *

 **A/N**

Hello again, CurioDejan here.

First off, a huge thank you to all those who followed and favourited this story, especially to Eternalmetalhead and Kerlongsj Evert Orlejov for leaving their reviews.

Just a word on updates, I will try to update every 2-3 weeks or so, work and such allowing, though with Volume 4 only a month away (still no official trailer ATTOW...) I may be a little occupied fanboying over the new character designs and environments. I've wanted to see Mistral since Volume 1...

Anyways, yes the story. Something of a bridging chapter here, reinforcing the team dynamics between JNPR and RWBY, as well as introducing a few ideas on Aura and Semblance for future exploration. The next chapter will be covering the sparring class, so expect some action, particularly after such a dialogue heavy chapter.

And again, feel free to follow and review with any comments you may have, and thanks for reading.

 **Disclaimer:** RWBY belongs to the wonderful people over at Roosterteeth.


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